Читать книгу NATO’s Enlargement and Russia - Группа авторов - Страница 7

The volume contains, at least, seven distinguishable messages:

First: Security issues are and will remain central in the relations between the West and Russia. “Security guarantees” as a regulating mechanism have not stood the test of history. We see that most vividly on the example of the 2014 Russian aggression against Ukraine which happened despite written promises that had been given by Moscow to Kyiv in, among others, the below analyzed 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances.1 While the Alliance was not a part of this deal, today the basic treaties building trust between NATO and Russia are in danger.2

Second: History is essential for present and future policy. The origins of the historical treaties and political approaches, for instance, to Western dual track policies should be better understood in their historical contexts and should be more effectively communicated by politicians.3

Third: Persisting historical myths like that of the allegedly given “Western” promise to the USSR not to expand NATO will have to be addressed again and again. The same applies to the non-functional mechanisms in international relations and international organizations, like the OSCE or the United Nations Security Council, that are blocked from acting on urgent matters. Necessary changes should be named and discussed.

Fourth: The main challenges in security issues should be more clearly addressed. NATO can take on this role in its capacity as not only a defense union, but also a political alliance.

Fifth: Only a historically informed strategy can effectively meet today’s security policy challenges.

Sixth: We need to talk more and better listen to each other to get “behind the logic” of the actions of the other side. Only this way, one can better understand the mindset that underlies the actions of the counterpart.

Seventh: The world is changing. The year 2020 has made that clear. And this is only the beginning of even more profound changes to come. Many international institutions have yet to experience this, and they are likely to be modified or even replaced in the future.